The Places We Stand
by candyflavordlies
Summary: When you come face to face with the end of the world, you can't help but wonder where you stand.
1. Weight of the World

They spend hours looking for survivors and his body hates him for it. The HUD was damaged in the fall but with a bit of tinkering, he was able to get most of it working. Even with that, the slightly blurred lines and huge crack in the capacitive screen are giving him a headache. It might also have something to do with falling out of the sky at about a hundred miles an hour but he refuses to think about that.

Tony does one last scan of the building before giving Thor and Captain America the thumbs up. The structure is fractured but empty and they move on to the next.

Barton and Romanoff are directing the National Guard and coordinating the rescue and evacuation process with FEMA. Between them and the NYPD, most of the people needing serious medical attention have been airlifted to the nearest hospitals. A makeshift refuge is established in Madison Square Garden and there are buses waiting at every bridge in order to get people out of the city. The mayor has declared a state of emergency and ordered all non-response vehicles off the streets.

And Tony? He just wants to see Pepper. He's scared to stop moving because he knows what happens when he does. It's Afghanistan all over again and Jesus Christ, he was in space.

He closes his eyes and let's the vertigo pass. He has no interest in testing the hypothesis, but he's sure throwing up in the Iron Man suit would suck.

"JARVIS, any update on flight traffic?"

"All airports remain closed, sir. All flights are currently being diverted to the nearest available hubs. Military jets are monitoring the surrounding area. Miss Pott's flight has been grounded in Philadelphia. Would you like me to try her again?"

"No. Let me know when they reopen Kennedy."

"Yes sir."

"Stark, is there anyone in there?"

Tony does a fly through of the six story building but it's vacant and structurally, much better off than the ones around it.

"All clear." He exits through the rooftop entrance and takes a moment to survey the city. There are entire buildings missing and billions of dollars in damage. The death toll is high in the hundreds and he hopes, almost prays that it stops there. They've pushed themselves beyond human, and Asgardian, limits and still, there is so much to be done.


	2. Honor, Above All Else

This is madness. Steve has trouble fathoming the scope of damage. It's exactly and nothing like the war and everything he fought against. This is Germany all over again, limitless destruction in all its horrifying glory. This is a city brought to it's knees and but for the grace of God and a few superheroes, it's still standing. He glances sideways at Thor and his suspicions are confirmed from the grim look on his face.

Madness.

They work together to clear the entrances to the subway systems. In fleeing the chaos, civilians took shelter underground and are now trapped under rubble and alien machinery. The dead Chitauri litter the streets and their heavy bodies make the clean up difficult that much more difficult.

Thor's disdain is clear on his face. He too, finds this immeasurably wrong. He has trouble comprehending that his brother has a part in this. He finds it hard to control his anger and the skies rumble in agreement. A bolt of lightening strikes the skyscraper behind him, the energy drawn to the harnessing rod atop it. In the dwindling light, he can see clear through the structure to the rubble beyond. The sky roils angrily. He continues to clear debris, tossing the limp bodies of the enemy into a haphazard pile to his left. It is one thing to enter into war, to send warning and heralds with terms and an ambassador. It is quite another to lead an assault on an unsuspecting people with the intention of subjugation and that is what Thor cannot comprehend. Loki was raised in Asgaard, raised in the ways of honor and here he is embroiled with lies and treachery. This, he thinks angrily, will not stand.

Up above, Tony dodges a lightening bolt. "Hey Captain, tell Point Break to give it a rest. I've had enough near death experiences for the day."

Steve nods even if Tony can't see him. He turns to his companion, who is lost deep in thought. It occurs to him that he knows almost nothing about the man he's been fighting beside. That doesn't sit well with him. As he's moving a fallen lamp post out of the way, he asks, "Have any plans after this?"

Thor hesitates. "There is a...woman. Of your people."

"Dr. Foster." Steve smiles at him knowingly. "She came up in the briefing reports."

Thor nods as he resumes their arduous task. "I have not seen her since my last visit. I fear I did not leave a good impression."

"From what I read, you took down a giant robot almost single-handedly. That's gotta count for something."

Thor grunts.

"I have learned that strength is not the only measure of a man. Jane Foster is a woman of great knowledge and I... "

Steve drops the wire mesh he's torn free from the crumbling concrete in front of them. "And you're the God of Lightening." He places a reassuring hand on Thor's shoulder and offers him a small smile. "Trust me, it counts."


End file.
